During the late afternoon and the night, starfish go out to hunt mainly bivalve molluscs, which are their favourite prey. Astropecten irregularis is a very common species in all kind of mobile seabed from 1 to about 1,000 m deep. This species is active and easy to find during the night, sometimes it is possible to find it in the late afternoon.

Astropecten irregularis (Pennant, 1777) Astropecten irregularis Description: A rigid star-shaped starfish with 5 short tapering arms. At the edge of each arm there is a double series of large square plates and a horizontal row of long pointed spines.

Astropecten irregularis has a stiff flattened body. It can grow up to 20 cm in diameter. The dorsal surface appears finely granular. The under surface of this starfish is pale, however the upper surface can appear sandy, yellow orange, pink or brown.

De kamster of gewone kamster (Astropecten irregularis) is een kamster uit de familie Astropectinidae. De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort werd, als Asterias irregularis, in 1777 gepubliceerd door Thomas Pennant. Deze kamster komt onder andere voor langs de Nederlandse kust.

Scientific name: Astropecten irregularis Norwegian: kamstjerne Characteristics: The sand star can reach a diameter of 20 cm. The five arms are short and the flattened body seems stiff when touching it. The upper (dorsal) side comes in shades of pink, pale reddish violet or orange. The oral side is light beige or white.